---

Summer as was waiting for the sun to rise when she saw the Tech Lyra head off for a morning dunk in the falls so she followed as quietly as she was able and found a position from which to watch her.

The tech was pretty and her body free of blemishes as far as Summer could see as she watched hidden among ferns. She had a body many of the other youths both male and female would have sought out but Summer couldn’t remember hearing she had formed any friendship with. Lyra was another lone wolf who followed the Expedition pack for her own gain and the little pixie thought should she ever seem to find a lover it would be prudent of her to consider what the woman thought she could gain from or use them to do.

The techs in the Expeditions were a mixed bag and the only connection between to the two was the pirates but it was enough to convince her that such members of the Lasthope community needed to be watched a little closer than those who knew the Bullrun as their salvation from the horrors and the end of the old world. She could have said it was all to blame on the mistreatment and possible sexual assault both girls were sure to have suffered from a young age at the hands of men who for sport tortured captives but that would be letting them slide from personal responsibility. They were free now and any nightmares they still had emotional baggage they clung to like Kisu said many of the forgotten people seemed to relish in. They craved pity or needed excuse for their actions, someone to blame for why they did what they did when in the end it was all their fault and choice for their actions now freed from the pirates.

So it was in such deep thought that she watched the tech as she went to the lovers tent and ask dissension of command because it might serve her purposes so when the blonde coyote woman walked away from the tent Summer was sure to reveal herself to her but at a distance and her stinger at the ready in case the larger woman thought to resort to the methods of her former captors but close enough that she know that she had heard what she had asked.



Sings Summer which stirs her Ravens in the breaking dawn to fly to her and begin wheeling in tight circles above her as she skips off doing a strange little dance.

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Petra had very little sleep which put her in a grouchy mood this morning and had she been a less understanding woman she’d have taken it out on Ursula who was the cause for her exhaustion. The little cub had spent the night moaning the loss of her mother and it was understandable why she had been so noisy. So rather than ignore the issue Petra went to the mares and milked one of the three she had long ago coaxed into giving milk even without the presence of a foal for mare’s milk was a good survival drink and she believed made the horses accept her as one of their own.

She poured some of the milk into a flat pan which she steadied as the cub tested it for flavor then began to lap up greedily. It was good that the cub could drink without a nipple because Petra would have had to make one almost everyday out of her small supply of glove leather. It took half of the mare’s milk collected to feed the little beast but was a good sign that she could be provided for by available stocks till she could be weaned.

Petra put her people to work getting everything packed and ready when Jain gave the order to move out then headed to the falls to bathe Ursula and herself and start bonding with her.

April looked up at Lyra and nodded. She smiled at Hector and let go of his hand as she headed towards her group. Giving them the signal they headed out to the neighborhood and began their sweeps. April, being a scout was used to doing things on her own and she tended to get a little irritated with some of the troopers. They could be rather immature she thought, but when they had to fight they could certainly hold their own and kick some ass. After assessing the security of the houses they were in they each would take a room and search for what was needed filling bags and backpacks.

She managed to collect a lot of spark plugs from one house in particular. It seemed that the man who had lived there was a mechanic or something he had half a box of them brand new. She tossed them in the bag for Lyra and that was when she heard the gunshot. Her head flew up and her first thought was Hector!

@Rumikoohara@joker892@NarcissisticPotato@Polaris North

Darric left Elsa laughing and ran to join his sister's group as they left for the sweep. He chuckled to himself. Elsa was his off and on girlfriend and she had been trying to get him to settle down and have babies. She wanted lots of babies. He just wasn't sure though. He liked her and all but he wanted someone he could see growing old with and he wasn't sure if that was her or not.

April split the group into the left side of the street and the right. Darric lead the left side group. He looked at his troops and pulled the earbuds out of the shorter guy's ears. "Dude! A walker could bite into you before you know it if you can't hear him! Dumbass!" He looked at the other guy and he looked properly ready and Darric shook his head. "Come on look alive guys or you won't be for long." With that they headed into the first house on their side of the street.

Nothing even remotely interesting happened until the sixth house. There was a walker in that one and Darric walked up to it from behind and stabbed it with a potato peeler in the back of the head. "Aww yuck! He was really juicy!" The shorter guy chuckled at Darric's dripping hand so Darric clapped him on the back leaving the oozy brain guts on the back of his shirt. "Yeah thanks for that!" Darric laughed walking away.

Darric looked at the homes and he could actually remember when they lived in a house of their own with their parents and they got to do things on the weekends with their cousins. The house they were in was covered in photographs of a happy family and it made him think more and more about what kind of future they could have had vs what they could have now. "Babies..." He shook his head with wonder.

@RumikoOhara@Polaris North@DNAFEIN@Joker892@Poi@Fortunesfaded@Deaddrop@NarcissisticPotato

Hector let out a heavy sigh as he rested his back against the building him and his group waited behind. Franklin, the now youngest member of the team was using a mirror to check around the corner of the building and the rest of the group waited for his report of what the streets looked like. Hector scanned his group and gave a certain member an annoyed frown. He wasnt happy Rafe was paired up with his team, but if it meant he would be away from April then so be it. Hector gripped his tomahawk and walked over to Franklin. "How is it looking?" he asked as he placed a hand on his shoulder. Franklin glanced back and shrugged. 

"Few loners wandering the street and a small group bunched up together at a burnt out house. Should be easy," he said and looked back to the mirror. "Hopfully there arent any bear traps," he said with a chuckle. A few members heard his joke and couldnt help but snicker at his joke. Hector grinned and patted him on the shoulder. Hector turned back to Rafe and approached him with a frown reached him  he crossed his arms and gestured his head towards the buildings corner.

"A few loners in the streets and a small group at a burnt out building. My team will take the left side of the street and you will take the right, we clear?" he asked. 
 
"No," Rafe said with shrug, "There are a few roaming around panda group near a burned out wreck.  Weren't you paying attention?"

He straightened from where he had been resting on his heels. Nearby Athena jumped to her feet, her head swiveled between her companion and Hector. Raphael nocked an arrow, "There's an alternate method; We wait here bows ready, and Theena grabs their attention leading them down the street past us. We pick them off as they pass."

Rafe held up hand to stop Hector from interrupting. "Yes, your plan is solid. Though the mirror doesn't see everything. Theena will draw out anything that happened to be missed. Plus my suggestion gives us time to consider the big question."

Hector scratched his neck and let out a sigh. He hated it when his plan was upstaged, but he hated it even more when he was the one who upstaged it. "Fine, we will go with your plan. Most of my boys have up close and personal weapons so you will be doing most of the shooting. We will take on any that get to close," he said and turned to his team. He gestured to them to gather around him and informed them of the plan. They shared in Hectors annoyance in the plan, but all nodded and readied their weapons. Hector looked to Rafe and nodded. "Ready when you are."

Rafe nodded and with a gesture sent Athena into the street. The canine turned up the street and barked. Raphael watched for a moment turning to Hector when Athena started down the street. "So what do you think gathered the crowd?" The scout asked half drawing the bow.

Hector tightened his grip on his tomahawk and shook his head. "Not sure, maybe it was a survivor or something," he mumbled. 

"Maybe its an undead party," Franklin grinned as he spun his hammer in his hand. Hector and his team grinned. 

"If thats the case then we will just have to invite ourselves," he chuckled. 

Rafe added a grin of his own to the joke, but it faded quickly. Between the clustered zombies and the burned shell something bothered him. The first of the risen passed then and Raphael's bow came up smoothly. The fetching drew back to his ear, before slipping from Rafe's fingers. A second cloth fletched arrow was quickly drawn and released. 

Raphael drew a third arrow as the first reached it's target. Rafe fired a third time as his second arrow dropped the second undead. The gathering passed and Rafe fired a fourth time. "Okay Hercules, let slip the dogs of war."

A bloodthirsty grin slipped onto Hectors face as he held his tomahawk up into the air to get his teams attention. "Alright boys, lets get to work!" he chuckled as he marched forward towards approaching undead. Another member of the team, Dustin, plunged his spear into the eye socket of one of the undead with a satisfyed grin. 

"First blood!" he laughed as he kicked the corpse from his weapon. Soon enough Hector was able to join in on the fun as he kicked an undeads knee cap. It fell to the ground with a growl and reached for Hectors leg, but he simply side stepped its reach and stomped down onto its head. After a sickening, wet crack the undead went limp and Hector chuckled. 

"Really gotta love this job," he said as he glanced over to see his men quickly taking care of a few more walkers. Franklin bashed a walkers skull in while Alex and Vick took turns stomping on a long dead walker. They could some times get out of hand, but as long as they stayed forcused there were no problems. Plus, it was all in good fun. Hector quickly helped take care of a few more walkers with his more than overjoyed group and wiped the sweat and blood from his forehead. He looked over to Rafe with a large grin and pointed his tomahawk. "Good thing you werent over here, would have mistaken your ugly mug for one of em," he and his team chuckled. 

Rafe shrugged. "Not surprising," He stated. "You and yours can't tell who actually got the first kill; Why would anyone expect you to identify friend from foe." 

With a whistle Raphael summoned Athena back. The scout turned towards the burned out husk, he studied the distance between it and the closest house with a frown. With a motion he sent Athena ahead; The canine circled the building nose to ground. She stopped and sat waiting for Rafe.

Joining the dog Raphael sat on his heels, and studied the torn remains before him. He pulled the tattered blue backpack closer; He rotated it looking for traps. "What do ya think?" He asked Athena.

Hector watched Rafe and his dog inspected a blue backpack and motioned his men to set up a secured positions around their surroundings. As they spread out into groups around the burnt out building Hector walked towards Rafe with a raised eyebrow. "Anything nice?" he asked as he cracked his neck. Though as he cracked his neck he spotted something within the bunt out house. He didnt wait for Rafes reply and snapped his fingers two time to get the attention of Franklin and Alex. They quickly flanked him and the three slowly appraoched what remained of the houses entrance. As they reached the entrance Hector made sure to check the corners and gestured for his team mates to follow. Once they were in the house Hector looked to them. "Check the house, but be careful. I think I saw someone in here," he whispered. Franklin raised his eyebrow. 

"If its a survivor shouldnt we call out to them?" he asked. Alex shook his head.

"Ya never know who is out here kid, not everyone is as friendly as us," he said in a hushed tone. The three then split up and began to creep around the burnt out house. Hector slowly made his way through the houses hallways and found it hard to see anything. He rolled his eyes and took out his flashlight. He shined it down the hallway jumped as a small figure rushed into a room to his left. His grip tightened around his weapon as he slowly crept towards the room. He took a deep breath and peeked into the room with his flashlight up. His eyes widened in shock as he saw a small girl covered in mud, dried blood and tattered rags for clothes. Though the girl wasnt what shocked him, it was the pistol she held in her small shaking hands. It was held high enough to be directed between his eyes. He reeled back in fright as cringed as a shot erupted form the weapon and echoed throughout the air. The bullet slamemd into the wall behind him and he muttered a curse towards his luck. Things were about to get bad. 

@Wick

Darric was just finishing up a garage when he heard the gun shot. He dropped everything and his guys came out of the house and he told them to stay there together and he ran. He ran towards where April was and when he found her she was just starting to head over towards where Hector's squad was.

"No! No! You stay here and ...just stay HERE! I'll go!" Before she could object Darric was gone like a flash. Her heart was in her throat. Guns weren't something they saw too much of anymore. The others gathered around her and they all took a break and sat on the stoop of the house they were clearing.

Running into the street they were on, he scanned the street to figure out what houses they were at. The other half of his team came out of the house across the street and he bolted down there. "Where is Hector? Did anyone get shot?" He said barely breathing hard.

Hector stared at the bullet hole within the burnt wall and sighed with relief. "Almost got me there kid," he chuckled and glanced towards the doorway. He chewed his cheek as he tried to find the right words to move things along and looked behind him to see Alex and Franklin come running towards him with there weapons at the ready.

"Boss, what the hell!?" Alex shouted through heavy breathing.

"Was that a gun?" Franklin asked with wide eyes. Hector grinned and motioned with his head towards the room.

"Got a little friend with an itchy trigger finger in there," he said rubbed his neck. "Head outside and tell the others to keep any walkers from getting in, Im gonna have a little chat with our shooter," Alex and Franklin were hesitant at first, but they soon nodded and head outside to Rafes and Darrics groups.

Darric entered the burned house and he went in behind where the others came out. He told them to wait with Rafe. He was listening to Hector talk to the little girl and he thanked God that he wasn't shot. That was not something he wanted to tell April.

Hector sighed heavily and cleared his throat. "Nice weapon ya got there kid, real rare to see them where I come from," he said in attempts to break the ice. It failed as only silence loomed between the two. "Ya know Im not gonna hurt ya, hell Im not even mad at the fact that you almost killed me. I just wanna talk," he informed and edged closer to the door. "My names Hector, can I get yours?" he asked as he peeked around the corner slowly. He flashed the light towards her again slowly and gulped as he saw her weapon, but a bit of relief filled his mind as he noticed that it was lowered a bit. The girl looked towards him with tired brown eyes that hid behind long dirty blonde hair. She stared at him for a few seconds and spoke.

"Lilly, m-my name is Lilly," she said in a dry and shakey voice. Hector smiled slightly and held out a hand.

"Well its nice to meet you Li-" he was cut off by a yelp from Lilly and jumped as a low growl came from his left. He directed his light towards the noise and felt his heart drop as he came face to face with a crisp walker. "Fuck!" he shouted in shock and tried to step back in attempts to get some distance from the undead, but he felt the burnt floor crack from under him and fell to the ground with the undead following him to the floor.

"Hector!" He peered around the corner at the child. "Lilly? You okay?" The little girl nodded in fear at the undead that had fallen on Hector. Looking into the dark basement below Darric pulled his knife. "Hector! Lilly stay there I'll be back." Darric jumped into the hole and landed feet first on the body of a walker and he stabbed it in the head. He could hear more of them in the room.

Hector scrambled to his feet and felt his heart race as he looked towards Darric. "Holy shit, if I wasnt with your sister I would kiss ya!" he said with a grin. Though his grin quickly disappeared when several more groans filled the room. He slowly took a flare from his pack and lit it. "Oh shit," he mumbled at the sight of six more burnt undead bodies rising up from the basments floor. He slowly backed up to Darric and chuckled as he took out his hunting knife. "So, wanna see who can get the most kills? Winner has to do what the other ask."

Darric laughed. "I'm gonna win so you have to have babies with Elsa. I can handle April kicking the crap out of me."

He swung his knife into the back of the head of a walker that was qqzing everywhere. These things barely could stand in one piece they were so far gone. It didn't take them long to finish them off. When they were done Darric was once again wearing a lot of oozy brain guts. This time it was on his shirt. He kicked the door out of the room and it fell off of it's hinges. Ducking out of the room he slammed the walker limping towards him into the wall and it's brain just kind of exploded and melted down the wall. He went back up to the room and walked into the room without a care and smiled at Lilly.

"Can Hector carry you out? I got kinda gross killing walkers for you sweetheart."

Lilly stared at the man in silence and slightly nodded without words. Hector chuckled and walked passed Darric. "You really need a shower man," he joked and looked towards Lilly. He gave a kind smile and slowly walked towards her. She flinched a bit and he saw her weapon twitch a bit, but he held up his hands and shook his head. "Relax, Im a good guy," the girl looked hesitant, but she soon relaxed once again and avoided eye contact with him as he continued towards her. As he reached her he knelt down next to her and frowned at her appearance. She looked like she had been through hell and back and she seemed like she hadnt eaten anything proper for a week or two. He glanced down to her bare feet and cringed as he saw them blistered and covered in scratches. Her ankle even seemed a bit swollen. He shook his head and gently lifted her up within his arms. "We got someone who can help ya without any problems, come on," he said with a smile and rose to his feet with her craddled within his arms. Lilly kept her eyes down and pistol held within one hand close to her chest, but she used her free hand to hold onto his vest as she laid her head onto his chest. He chuckled and looked towards Darric as he walked towards the rooms exit. "Mind picking up my shit that I dropped?"

Darric came out of the room after collecting Hector's tomahoawk and flashlight and he followed him outside. April had not listened and she was outside instead of over at her assigned spot. Darric grinned at her relief as she saw Hector. When she saw the gun against the child's chest she walked over to her and held out her hand and said "Let Hector hold the gun and come to me." The little girl seemed relieved to see a woman and she almost dropped the gun as she handed it to Hector. April was hugged tightly as the little girl clung to her and began to cry in relief. April patted her back and shushed her reassuringly as she spoke to the child softly.

The look April gave Hector said everything Darric needed to see and he looked at Hector and said, "Elsa wants 15 kids dude, get hoppin'!" He laughed at the look on his face and he gave him a high five and a hug.

He chuckled and shook his head as he patted him on the shoulder and walked over to April and the crying Lilly. He scratched his cheek with a sheepish smile. "I didn't cause her to do this, honest," he chuckled and looked to the crying girl. "Her names Lilly and thats about all I know. Well, that and that she has an itchy trigger finger," he joked and looked around the group. He spotted Alex waveing him down and gesturing towards a few walkers heading their way. He frowned and looked to April. "Mind taking her somewhere safe while we finish up here?" he asked. Lilly looked to him with teary eyes and seemed hesitant of letting him leave, but his smile seemed to calm her down and she buried her head into Aprils shoulder with a bit of sniffling.

April caught Darric's words and raised her eyebrows at it and listened to Hector. She smiled softly and reassured him. "I know you didn't babe. She is going to be okay it's just a release of stress." She nodded at Hector and told the guys. "I need you guys to cover the rest of my group. I'm taking her back to our tent Hector." She then walked away carrying the little girl.

Darric looked at Hector and chuckled, "Looks like you aren't getting any tonight."

Hector gave a sad look and looked to the sky with shaking fist. "Nooooo!" he cried out in horror. After a few chuckles from those surrounding him he looked to Darric with a grin. "Still, I get to say I banged your sister," he chuckled.

"I'll let that slide because you almost got shot by a 4 year old. Alright I gotta get back to my and now April's guys. Hey, I need one more your group was larger. Let me have her. That blond in the back Lyra isn't it? Come on you are with me."

Once Jax seemed to have fallen asleep, James had started to walk around once more. He mostly played with some of the dogs by making them play fetch to get their daily exercise without having the need for them to go to an expedition. It kept them relatively busy and not just idling around with a risk for going out without supervision. They may be trained, but James still had to keep an eye on them. Petra's group had been quite a help with it but they were mostly focused on keeping the horses and their equipment in good shape. Speaking of his teacher's daughter, he wondered where she was. Last he heard, she was given a baby bear.

A baby bear. Honestly, James wasn't even surprised at this point. He was quite ecstatic to find out that they had a baby bear, thanks to April who had brought it back. After the initial joy on having such a rare pet, he began to have doubts. Like, what if it didn't get to make a connection with everyone else back at Lasthope. It might attack! He wasn't worried about the other residents since they could take care of themselves. He was more worried about what they will do to the bear. They would surely kill it. Hell, he isn't even sure if they would let it stay. Of course, he was pretty sure Petra could handle all that. If anything, that girl was stubborn. But still, he couldn't help but feel worried about the young bear. Oh well, he'd have to leave that to the future.

He felt a tug on his hand and noticed that Sphinx, his favorite dog and probably could be considered his own, had been patiently waiting for his throw. A grin spread on his face before throwing the stick and Sphinx raced towards it. As Sphinx walked back towards him with stick in mouth, he then suddenly dropped it. His ears were perked up, body tense and was lowly growling at a certain direction. James turned his head to the direction, ready to run and alert the group but noticed that Maisy and two other troopers were there. He relaxed at the sight of this. That meant they could take care of it. James walked over to Sphinx and gestured for him to relax. Sphinx did. "Come on boy, I think I'm up for a drink." The dog picked up the stick and followed he made his way to the camp.

However, he was approached by Maisy and gave him a lawn chair for Jax. James grinned and then said, "Thanks a lot Maisy. I think Jax would like it, but I think he would want April rather than anyone else here. I'll make sure to give it to her later." Leaving the item for later and then refilling Jax's water, he walked back to their meal tent to get some refresher drink.

While he was there, he got to talk with Jimmy. They weren't very close but they knew each other because of Felicity. James had been the one to show her the beginning ropes for veterinary and help her out when she was having trouble with Mr. Wintergarden's teaching methods. This caused them to be fast friends. This also led to Felicity introducing him to Jimmy which then led to the two being acquainted. There was his father too, who worked at Nova Ranch but the two never really talked much. It only lasted a few minutes before they both went on their own ways.

He dismissed Sphinx and he went on to rest with the other dogs who weren't with the other troopers. Seriously, there was nothing much to do. He could go out and find Petra, but that might not end well. If she wasn't anywhere to be found, it meant that she wanted to be alone. Or at least, that's how he interprets it. He looked over to Maisy who had a map in her hands calling out to the boss. James wondered what that was. He was about to head over to listen/eavesdrop but then he noticed that Jax perked up. James saw April approaching camp carrying what seems to be a small girl.

The brown haired male found himself walking towards them. "You have a child... whoa, it's like you're the one bringing in the young ones everyday." He joked.

@Poi@Wick

@DeadDrop

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"I don't really like animals, specifically dogs. Horses are fine, we use them and we get use to how they work. Dogs, I think they are annoying and I hate how everyone has one. I saw that one dog that got messed up by the bear and thought about how much we wasted to save it. Also bringing back a baby bear, I must be fucked. Then there is you, staring at me all the time - I don't like it at all. I'm tired of being judged, especially by someone I don't know. By someone who talks to animals, you're kinda silly." was the Angered introduction Summer received from Amy.

The diminutive young Witch paused weighing her response then spoke in a sweet and gentle tone she reserved for wounded animals she might come across in her exploration.

Dogs do work as well guarding, hauling, fighting, and keeping you warm in the high snows; I owe my life to a pack of wolves I have befriended and they are only technically dogs. Your assessment of the effort wasted for the life of a dog for the dog wasn’t your family as it is April’s so the effort is her’s to ask and to give.

The cub would be dead if Wacantoognaka, Generous Heart had not taken her in and become her mother and once more Petra’s choice to make.

Her words are gentle and her expression friendly curiosity but behind it all is a sort of cold bloodedness almost a warning like Summer is one of the animals she speaks to and her tone is almost a copy of Amy's own voice.

I like watching you Amy, you have yet to reveal your true nature and like a blossom unopened of a strange flower promise revelation, perhaps beauty but not all beautiful flowers are matched with a pleasant scent.

You are accepted into the People who have found hope and that makes you family to me, to everyone in the Bands. You lack trust in others and yourself and wonder why you are isolated, to be trusted you must give your trust, if you will trust me then I will accept you Amy daughter of the Coyote. I will give you the trust you desire.

I know people think I am strange, my habits Silly as you have pointed out but they use the medicines I make or have taught the others. People think you are strange and silly for your love of machines. Some wonder why you and others like you try to hold tightly the old world, why you don’t accept its fall; I am grateful you and the Techs don’t surrender even though I belong to the past now made whole as your’s dwindles with each year I pray for your success for it keeps the Beast at bay. Summer pauses as a sly smile blooms on her lips

You have seen the Beast Amy, the one that walks like a man. You know his danger and how his anger knows an expression of cruelty which as a child you thought existed only in nightmares and the stories we read, watched, or heard.

I know that till he breathes no more your heart will never feel completely safe. You are not alone and his days measured less than one year now because even now the Council plans his end. I know that is why you became a Trooper, why you have made yourself strong.

Touches Cloud her White Raven flies over and settles on Summers left shoulder the huge Raven threatening to crush her under his weight.

Summer picks up her pipe and strikes her lighter to it and inhales the rich and pungent mixture and smiles holding it before exhaling

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Petra like her people was laughing as Candy wrestled with Ursula who seemed to be enjoying the sport but she and her Ramrod also kept a weather eye out for trouble knowing as anyone who wanted to live old enough to have grandchildren to keep their eyes open for danger always.

The teamsters had an advantage over the troopers being surrounded by dogs and horses with sharp senses which was why the Muleskinner indulged in the horseplay with her kids as she called them because everyone of them was green as grass. She loved everyone of them like siblings and her the elder sister but she was a Nordic woman and tough love was almost in her DNA or at least in her upbringing.

Oh how her mother would have loved to hear her called Petra as she had wanted to call her from her birth but living in the US had made her compromise and chose Amelia.

Her mom was tough and also kind having been born in Rotterdam and her values Danish which was a mixed bag of perceived permissiveness and authority. Add to that the fact that her home was in the center of the Cavalry school and it would be easy to understand why Petra was a blend of Drill Instructor / Big Sister / Bosslady.

When the gunfire erupted it put a stop to any fun as without a word of command her people began loading packs to animals as Billy stood watch with a Satsuma by a tepee of the same in case Risen appeared. It was like watching an assembly line her people worked so smoothly as she sat astride her mount with her lariats at the ready and her people knew how seriously she took the shot as she sat in silent observation.

As Lyra finished off speaking to Hector and April, something inside her told her that she was being watched. When the two trooper leaders agreed to help her, she whirled around and scanned the camp. It wasn't too difficult to find who it was as she made it fairly clear. Summer wasn't just watching but in listening distance as well.

She held her gaze, her own harsh winter eyes immovable as the small girl began to sing. Lyra had no time for self-declared witches who were nothing more than botanists with god complexes. Witchcraft was about as real as Amy's sex life.

Still, her mind couldn't help but kick at her as she realised that Summer had heard her instructing two troopers to ignore the will of their commander. Insubordination carried a heavy penalty and she knew Summer was close to the commanding officers. She held her cards however, it was likely the so-called 'witch' had something between her temples and making enemies with a rising Techie was not a good idea. If she reported to Amy, however, then everything was fair game. There was no length her senior wouldn't go to just to fuck her over.

"Fuck off Summer." She finally settled on. She didn't know if she had heard her but it gave her a kick anyways.

Eventually, she left with her ravens and Lyra could move on past mystics who thought they were something. She had a supply cache to man. She used her horse to carry the refill supplies she was responsible for and lead him along as the troopers departed. With a quick scan of the area, she watched with darkening eyes as Amy made the climb to Summer's crack-den. So that was the game they were playing then. Snorting, she turned back to the task at hand and drifted along with the group.

Eventually they arrived and she unpacked, laying everything out. Maisy made herself busy dispatching a nearby walker with a backpack which would produce a map that Lyra would have got her grubby hands on if it wasn't for the clear ring of a gunshot in the neighbourhood.

The wooden mace at her side suddenly got a whole lot heavier as she looked about for some sort of reaction from a higher up. Impulse got people killed out here - the best thing was to leave it to people who knew what they were doing. But that didn't stop her from ducking down into her supplies to find a weapon that would serve her better against a firearm.

Eventually April returned with a small child in-hand and the all-clear was given. Lyra breathed a momentary sigh of relief before she saw the approach of a runner from the troopers. If she was lucky it would be a resupply but Lyra was never particularly lucky. The fact that they personally requested her piqued her interest and simultaneously made her cautious. Everyone and their granny knew that Lyra was a shit trooper - she could fix up an engine quicker than she could dispatch a risen. But it was a command not an offer so she gave a quick nod to James to cover her duties as she buckled on a rucksack. She might as well get something out of it.

As her and the runner returned to the main group, she didn't waste time waiting until the others had left Darric to lay into him. "Any particular reason you got a techie on resupply duty to come out instead of the large collection of knuckle draggers back in the reaction force? Or do I not really want to know the answer to that?" Lyra didn't have much regard for his rank above her or the fact that she had to crane her neck just to speak to him. Then again she was six years his junior and a blonde so it wouldn't take much to incapacitate him.

@RumikoOhara@Wick

@ReusableSword@Poi@Wick@Polaris North@Dnafein@Joker892@FortunesFaded@DeadDrop



Jain let fly two shafts in quick succession each flying as if laser sighted to bury himself deep in the eye sockets of two shufflers on the outskirts of the sweep and rode to Maisy who held a map and looked it over. It was like any map with unlegended additions the Red could be anything.

Find out if these houses have been cleared if not then put them on warning and have them swept with care, double team the first one and if it turns out to be a stash point do the others and Inform me of their contents.

Sorry if I’m putting a lot on you Maisy but when I called home on the Sat phone the Council in their hindsight have decided that we needed to include a contingent from Fort Stevens under Trevor their Commander’s son, you might remember him and his people during the Forging games (Counting Coup War Games)

Can’t say I like it. They have their own style which I’d call Pioneer Troops whose best trick is the Ambush or Counter Ambush but we’ll see if he and his people recognize my authority.

Jain sighs and leans back and looks into Maisy’s eyes her voice going into a softer tone.

[color/seagreen]Should have been the other way around, you should be in command and me as second but the dole it out and I took a portion so I need to finish it.

I didn’t even have time to blow off steam before I come along, if you want to convene a change of command hearing and take over I’ll not squawk[/color] Jain finishes with a chuckle

The gunshot caused Raphael's thoughts to coalesce. He least to his feet and grabbed the nearest trooper, stopping him from rushing into the building after Hector."Find Jain, tell her there's another group nearby."

Dustin stared at Rafe in confusion. Raphael shoved the trooper towards where the reserve group last was. "Run." Rafe ordered, he saw April and Darric arrive, the latter charging into the house. Raphael circled the house, making sure the rest of Alpha were focused on keeping watch and not on the house.

As he walked Rafe mentally abused himself for missing the biggest clue. The houses were too close for only one to burn in a natural fire. It should have spread without someone to put it out. Whether the remains of the Risen's meal had started the fire, put it out, or did both was above Rafe's "paygrade." His job was to report his findings.

Returning to Athena, Rafe eyed the backpack she sat guarding. He wanted to open it and solve the debate in his head. Instead he tied it to his own pack, he’d let Jain and Maisy look through it first. As he finished tying the packs together he noticed the trio exiting the building. Rafe watched the exchange briefly, before slipping away, Athena in tow.

The scout didn't go far, just to a nearby house. He’d visited the building the last time he’d scouted the area; And thus made a beeline for a half painted room. Raphael started searching the few cabinets the room contained. Finding what he was searching for Rafe grabbed the four pack of infant bottles and slipped them into his pack. Making a quick survey of the house the scout grabbed a few books adding them to his pack before returning to join the troopers outside.

The morning air was cool, the sun rising slowly over the horizon basking Team 2 of the Expedition in warmth. Their leader had gotten them up early, so they might be able to reach the others soon. Their leader rode in front of the larger group the Grey mule he rode upon kept a steady pace. The forest camouflage Bonnie hat he wore shaded his face, and he kept his Spear at the ready in one hand and the reigns in the other.

The Colum of people and troopers had left the day before from Lasthope. They were carrying supplies and a few extra persons who were either not ready to go or were absent when the first and larger expedition left. They kept in a close organized line, the teamsters and some others who looked like they were less than capable in combat stayed in the middle of the group with the pack horses. While the Troopers that came with were evenly spread out through the Colum, 2 stayed at the back and front.

The large man sat silently as he rode about 50 yards in front of the others. Making sure to stay in eyesight he would occasionally glance back at the Troopers who had spread themselves out with the other teamsters. The man looked different from them, the troopers and teamsters, some looked like ranch hands and cowboys where others looked like civilians or soldiers. This leader of theirs looked like something from story books, wearing a chain mail shirt and a small round shield strapped across his back and a cloak of bear fur. He looked strange, almost as if he had to make it a point that he wasn’t the same as them.

All this would make some think he may have simply been brought to life by some form of magic, if it weren’t for the forest camo hat and cargo pants he was wearing or his older tan combat boots. There was one other man on a horse with him, a slender, shorter, tan skinned gentlemen, with the name of Anton. In a way this leader of theirs was training Anton on how he operates as a leader,

“Trevor how much further was it again?” Anton asked in a hushed tone.

Trevor looked around at the surrounding mountains and tree line as they rode through the street, “Depends” was the only words the younger man received.

Anton furrowed his brow and sighed, “Depends on what?” Trevor was always difficult when he didn’t need to be. Anton always thought he enjoyed annoying people by not giving them all the information he had on hand.

The older man smiled at him, “Depends on if they found something to search that's not burned down. That would keep them there for a little while. Depends on if somehow they were caught off guard by a three-mile-long horde and were annihilated. Depends on if they stopped and camped at the falls at all really” He didn’t look away from what was ahead and from his surroundings as he spoke.

Anton sighed again and bit his lip, he had friends and people he knew in the other team and the wait to see them again was bothering him. “Shouldn’t they have left some signs or markings to show others they are all right?”

Trevor turned his attention to the boy only for a moment with a smile, “What? And broadcast to everyone that this trail is used by Lasthope. Do you want to be ambushed? Cuse it’s not fun unless you’re the one doin the ambushing” turning his attention back to the road ahead he muttered under his breath, “trust me I know.” This answer however did not settle Anton’s thoughts as they continued to ride the same trail as the others. Trevor knew they should be at the next meeting point with in the next few hours.

A few hours later.

The time had really gone by quick as the forest soon gave way to sporadic trees, rolling hills, and old cattle pastures. The smell of the area changed as well, the smell of these forest pines was something he greatly enjoyed. Trevor knew they were about an hour or so from where the others were going to be at but still he found himself hesitating. Suddenly he signaled a company stop and rally on him, pulling everyone off the road and under a covered area once used to store gravel for road repair and traction during the winter.

Once everyone was under the shed and began to look to one another wondering what their Troop commander was up too. "Oi listen up, myself and Anton over here are going to go scout out the pine hollow reservoir.”

Anton shot a look at him, “what? Why?” first the man pulls them off track and now he wants to go scouting, something must be wrong he thought.

Trevor seemed to almost glare at his battle buddy before continuing, “It’s just a couple miles to the north. The rest of you get a break for an hour or so, Troopers I’m leaving it up to you to organize guard duty.” With that he dismounted and grabbed a few of his things before Dragging Anton out through the nearby field cutting through some barbwire to do it.

Anton was quiet for a little while as they ran through pastures and crept by old buildings, “where are we going, has something happened?” his mind was running at a mile a minute before being hushed by Trevor.

A few of the undead variety roamed nearby as they stopped, the house he was making a bee line to was close now. Flipping his spear around, he held it tightly in his hand. This end of the spear had a metal brace ending in a round metal ball, specifically made for caving in skulls at a distance. He walked quietly over the gravel road to the closest of the three Rizn and swiftly struck it in the back of the head, quickly shifting his focus to dispatch the one next to it before it turned to come after him. The third which was a bit further away turned and started to walk towards him before being blindsided by Anton with his wooden club.

The Rizn held nothing of value in their tattered clothes and only served to hamper their progress through the small vacation town. But within a few more minutes he was there at the bottom of the road looking up towards an old tan house with brown roofing tiles, dead grass and two sheds hat were broken into and cleared out already. The house itself had its front door kicked in and mostly rummaged through. Trevor quietly entered taking off his shield and leaving his spear at the door while he held his fighting ax. He didn’t hear anything as he walked through the small two bedroom house. Checking the rooms he found them mostly torn apart and rummaged through but clear.

Anton waited in the door was keeping a watchful eye outside, “Dude come on there is nothing in here, let’s go back and keep going. This place freaks me out” somehow he figured Trevor wasn’t listening, but he held a weird look on his face, “Dude are you OK?”

Trevor didn’t look up to him as he knelt down and picked up a broken plate with the face of Elvis on it, “This was my dad’s Cousins summer home, he was a good at partying” he was going through some old memories he had nearly forgotten, “When I saw pine hollow on the map being close to here I had to stop, just… just to see, ya know?” Trevor looked at the shattered plate and put it on the table.

He seemed to be looking for something as he sifted through cupboards and piles of trash in the corners. Until he suddenly stopped and picked up a picture frame. He was quick to pull the photo out and put it in his pack before going back to Anton, “Alright let’s go” he said as he rubbed his eye.

It hadn’t taken them very long to make it back to the others, they hadn’t moved, and they hadn’t run into any more trouble on the way back. Some troopers wondered if they found anything worthwhile but all they got was a silent no. Giving the signal to mount up everyone did as they were told and got back to the road toward celestial falls.

One hour later.

The rumble and subtle roar of the falls echoed in the back ground as the troop neared their destination. They had crossed the bridge at Tygh Valley and were now only a few minutes from the falls. As they got closer and closer he could see two riders coming down the road from the opposite direction. Trevor had a good feeling these were some of their guys but still held his spear at the ready.

The two troopers came to a halt a few feet from them, “we thought you ugly bunch looked familiar” the troopers said with a laugh.

Trevor didn’t seem too amused as he got a bit closer to them, “would you two gentlemen kindly show us to where the others are?” he spoke with his usual monotone voice.

The troopers nodded and waved them on, “yeah right this way” both turned and began to lead them back. However, Trevor couldn’t help but over hear one of them ask the other, “Why the hell is he here?” the other one just shrugged as they continued on. Trevor gave them the signal to fall out and follow as he did the same.

Before too long he found himself in the middle of a small encampment, there seemed to be some excitement going on, and they seemed to be packing up. “Anton if shit hits the fan come find me, until then just stick with the others.” He said to him as he continued to ride hank through the encampment. He was looking for one person in particular, one of the few people he respected out here for the way she helped with him dealing with Hanks stubbornness, the strawberry blonde. Eventually he found her saddled up and looking like she was ready to go. “Miss Wintergreen” he called over to her as he stopped hank near her, “Trevor Stevens reporting in mam, where do you need me?” he smiled at her after glancing around at the others.

@ReusableSword

---

---

Petra was having to deal with watching her people armed with only a Lariat and Bullwhip which both she could wield with the skill of someone in her trade would be expected. Wailing nearby because she had no idea of what was going on was Ursula so she rode over and with ease and bent from saddle and hoisted the little bear across her thighs. Her horse Andy only shifted slightly but allowed the unfamiliar creature because he trusted his mistress and in a few moments the small trouble maker was sleeping.

Elsa came over and handed her long bow and pommel quiver to her then scurried back to work commenting on how difficult it might become to use her weapons and steady the 47 pounds fluff to which Petra responds sticking out her tongue.

It was hard to miss the column coming in and notice they rode mounts of the Fort stevens Pioneers and were lead by that enclave’s Fair Haired son Trevor Stevens who rode up and halted his party near her assembly area.

Trevor was as she remembered dressed in the Chainmail that some of his group favored and the first words he said were “Trevor Stevens reporting in mam, where do you need me?”

Petra laughed before answering Well met Trevor but I’m not the Bosslady of this expedition she says with a throaty amused tone trying not to giggle

I can speak for your pack though and say they are now under my command and can get off and reset and balance the packs, water, see to their feet, and shoes.

I would though council the Commander of the Pioneers just sit here and wait till the Bosslady Jain gives out alarm or calls you; it's been a few? she said finishing her statement cryptically as the Dark Honey colored bundle in her lap stirs curious at the new comotion.

Maisy nodded to Jain's command, taking back the map so they could follow it. The thought of reinforcements was refreshing, especially after everything had seemed to go downhill. They were already one man down, and God knows what happened with the gunshot that rang through the subdivision. Still, Maisy couldn't shrug off the idea that Trevor and his men were bears. They were usually taller than Maisy, and wore armor like something out of a fairy tale, at least according to the last time the rancher saw them. Maisy was glad that they were on their side, but the rancher had a inkling not to piss off a brute like one of them.

Like many conversations between the expedition leader and second-in-command, the tone soon changed. The two women locked eyes for a second as Maisy heard out her superior's worries. "Jain," Maisy stated, a soft smile rising on her lips, "I may be a better leader than you, or I may not. Still, you were placed in the leader role for a reason, and you've managed to get us this far. I can't say what others think, but you've managed so far. Just point the way, and I'll follow." Maisy explained, nodding once more her superior as she wheeled her horse around. The rancher took off her hat, and gave a wave back towards Jain.

"I'll go return to the others and get to searching. Keep yourself safe, Jain." Maisy replied, riding back to where Beta squad and the resupply group were still camping until they were needed. It wasn't a far ride, just across the highway, although in the midst of crossing the twin roads, something had caught Maisy's eye. Something familiar to the rancher. Something Maisy knew all too well. Something that was an old memory of Maisy's. "I'll be damned... The rancher mumbled, running her hand down the dust long settled on her father's old rusting and beat-up truck, with the horse trailer still attached.

The caravan still stood as it did when it stopped, albeit with more rust and dust. "Lindsey, Todd, Jake..." Maisy rambled, listing off all the people that once worked on the ranch, only to fall to the undead. The rancher's head swung low, her eyes closed as she lost herself in the past. The two troopers with Maisy were confused, but they stood by the second-in-command until she was ready to move. Climbing off her horse, Maisy walked to the front of the truck, and knelt down in front of the license plate. Pulling a knife from her belt, the rancher began to unscrew it from the truck with the blade until the license plate was loose to remove.

Placing the license plate in her pack, Maisy then went to climb inside the truck. Reaching for the gear shift, Maisy twisted the knob free from the handle, also taking it with her. "Right, let's get back on track." Maisy replied to the troopers, taking one final look at an old memory before leading the group back to the encampment at the Falls. By the time they returned, Maisy noticed that some people were missing, and some people had been new. It was evident that the flanks must've needed some support, but what was more evident was the towering giant in chain mail speaking with Petra.

Something about Jain was said, which prompted Maisy to walk over to them. "Trevor. right? Maisy. Good to know you're here just in time for news from the front lines." The rancher explained to the newcomer, her introduction somewhat hasty, but for good reason. With a hand movement, Maisy motioned for everyone within the camp to fall in and listen. "To my knowledge, the search is going fine. There... was a gunshot, but it was quickly brought under control and the Crazed..." A pause. "...excuse me, the Risen were dealt with. However, we have been given new orders." Maisy went on to explain, holding the map within her hands so all could see.

"This map is a map of the subdivision we're currently searching. Inked in red, are houses that have been marked. No one is aware what the marking means, but Jain wants us to investigate. I'll be taking some of the troopers with me, but we will be going in blind. Support is surely going to be needed, but until then, keep yourselves alive and out of danger." Maisy explained, her eyes scanning the crowd for any potential volunteers outside of the troopers. "You in?" Maisy asked, her eyes gazing upwards at the tall armored man who stood nearby. Whatever it was, Trevor's help would be worth anything.

---

Darric looked at the girl seriously and answered her in an authoritative tone. "Yes, there is a good reason." He watched her get more irritated at his answer. He looked to his own troops "Curtis you take over April's squad and Lyra you are with me and shortie." Curtis nodded and headed over to the other squad. "Let's get back to work!" Darric turned back towards the houses and shortie followed him.

She cocked a single eyebrow at him and that was enough to tell him she wasn't particularly impressed. "Thank you for that wonderful answer, I feel enlightened already." She commented sourly, waiting a moment before she wandered after them. Lyra knew Darric - he was April's brother and as far as she was aware, the noble creature that Elsa so carefully decided to open her legs for. The girl was a fool but even the techie could appreciate a good sight, even if that sight was ruined when he opened his mouth.

Darric ignored her attitude and they got back to work. A little while later he got everything gathered in bags and looked up and saw little miss attitude giving him the stink eye. He chuckled a little with his head down as he sorted things. After a few minutes he went over to her and looked at her a little oddly. "You get what you are doing right?"

There was nothing quite like one of Lyra's scowls. It had the wonderful ability to both condescend and aggravate. In truth, she wasn't minding the little outing as it meant she got to get exactly what she needed. She left a storm of broken microwaves and torn up kettles in her wake. Of course, she had no intention of telling him any of this. "Yes, I'm quite aware. But this is an excuse to start a conversation, no?"

Darric grinned and his smile lit up the room. "Maybe, or maybe it's a good time to tell you that you are here because you don't have much time in the field and being a tech you could actually teach the others about some of the things we need and get in a little more practice killing the dead."

"Now if you are done being a crabass since the house is cleared and we are almost done here we can take a break. Shortie pulled everything outside into the driveway already." He was gathering the things in the room that they had pulled to take. "Shortie is having a smoke outside." Darric sat down on a comfy chair for a minute and closed his eyes.

"I've got to break it off with her she is driving me nuts." He said under his breath to himself but just loud enough for her to hear him.

She cocked another eyebrow and watched him silently. Lyra knew what he wanted which gave her power but at the same time she didn't particularly know what she wanted. He was eye candy and she admired his strength but he was still obliviously obvious.

Sighing, she found a seat near him and planted herself down before kicking her feet up over the armrest. "So you invite me out to let me get some experience and then proceed to stare at me for a good portion of it before opening up that your girlfriend wants your dick twenty four seven? And I'm the crabass?"

Massaging her temples lightly, she realised that having a friend wouldn't be a bad idea, even if nothing came of it. "Why's she bothering you? Apart from the obvious, of course."

Darric opened his eyes and decided to ignore her bitchiness. Then he changed his mind. "First, I'm keeping an eye on you not staring. And I wasn't talking to you but since you asked I have a question for you. Why does Elsa think that she can demand that we become serious and start popping out babies like leaves on a fucking tree? I'm not in love with her so I'm gonna break it off, but damn it she is making me crazy!"

Lyra sighed again, she wasn't a relationship counsellor but it was interesting at the same time. "I suppose you don't want a sarcastic answer..."

Thinking about it for a few moments, she stared at the flakey painting on the ceiling. "She thinks she can demand because Elsa doesn't understand the world. To her, you're her prince charming, her knight in shining armour. You're not real; you're a character in her fairy tale. She's a child in a fucked up world so she rationalises it with her imagination. Elsa is sweet but a shadow. A beautiful little fool."

Withdrawing a book from her rucksack, she flicked it open to the page she read last and settled in. "Is that the answer you wanted?" She murmured, seemingly not focusing on the conversation.

Darric thought about her words for a moment and sighed in frustration. "Not exactly but it makes sense." He said rubbing his temples. "Alright we are almost done for the day. Let's get this shit done. I have to go break things off with her permanently. I'm not going to be her baby making machine."

Getting back to his feet he stretched. "After that I think I'm gonna go have a swim before dinner. You got any plans for later? A few of us will go play water volleyball up at the falls. You can come if you want to." He got up and picked up the pile of materials off of the floor.

She sighed in exasperation. She had only got her book out before she had to put it away again. So much for a break. Packing it away, she slid onto her feet. "Do I look like I'd be particularly good at water volleyball?" She laughed, bending down to pick up her pile. Something in the corner caught her eye.

Moving over tentatively, Lyra squatted down and pushed some debris out of the way before opening the small cabinet. Inside lay liquid gold - single malt scotch, twenty year old. "Hey lover boy, you missed something!"

Nabbing it, she rose and wheeled back around on him, presenting her treasure. Opening it, she tilted it back and took a long swig before lowering it and grimacing with a spluttered cough. Grinning, she handed it over to Darric. "To weird girlfriends!"

Darric took the bottle she handed him and his lips curved into an appreciative smirk. "Loverboy huh?" He knew girls didn't call him that unless they were attracted to him. Maybe his new friend would be something more in the end. Chuckling at her statement on weird girlfriends he toasted back. "Here's to finding what you want." He tipped the bottle back and took a long deep drink. Putting the bottle in the bag on his hip he shook his head smiling at her. "Let's go."

@Rumikoohara@Polaris North@Dnafein@Joker892@Poi@Fortunesfaded@Deaddrop@reusablesword

Trevor kept up his guard, always staying aware of his surroundings was something he just couldn’t help but do even around women that would otherwise keep his attention. But through his scanning he saw something that caught him a bit off guard, “you found a child? Out here?” he looked back to the two other girls and then back to the girl carrying the child. Dismounting and digging through some of his bags before finding something yellow, “I’ll be right back, don’t leave without me.” With the yellow item in his hand he turned and made his way past the others towards where the lady with the child went.

April looked up and smiled as James walked up and asked her a question. "Yes we have a little one with us now. Hector found her. She was our shooter. She got scared. Lilly, this is James can you say hi?"

The little girl kind of nestled into April a little more and looked curiously at James. Unsure of him she smiled when she saw Jax walk up. "Can I play with the doggy?" She murmured.

James smiled at the young girl. So she was responsible for the shot huh? He looked back up at April, "Huh, this girl had a gun. That's pretty dangerous." He admitted. That was when Lilly turned to look pass him and towards Jax who was slowly approaching the group.

"Well, Jax ain't mine, but sure. He won't bite." He said before calling over Jax. He then looked back at April, "I'm sure that's alright with you April?" He continued, asking the real owner of the dog. While he was confident that Jax wouldn't do anything bad to the young girl, it was still for the best to ask.

April nodded "Absolutlely." Smiling at the two and hearing footsteps she saw Amir approaching too. "Hey Doc, what's up?"

Amir heard the commotion nearby and headed over, spotting a young girl with noticeable scratches playing with April's dog. The scout was by her side, along with James. "Good to see you, April. James, you too -- I see we have a new seasoned veteran joining our expedition," He said, making eye contact with Lilly and smiling. "I'm Doctor Amir. What's your name?"

Catching back up with the others he stopped and looked around at the others, a few troopers, a scout maybe, and one of the medics seemed to be surrounding the small girl. Somehow Trevor began to feel nervous approaching the others like this, but he swallowed those feelings and stepped up next to them. “Sorry to interrupt but I have something for the child if you don’t mind” really he didn’t care what they said or if they tried to stop him. The tall man stepped closer towards them only to have the dog growl slightly, “Easy” he spoke towards the dog.

James smiled brightly at April when she allowed for Jax to play. He then patted Jax on the head before letting Lilly touch him, so she wouldn't exactly be scared. While Lilly was playing with Jax, Amir arrived. Probably to check up on the poor girl, she looked like she's been through hell and back... well, he doesn't doubt that is the case. "Heya Amir. He greeted with a cheerful wave.

He then looked over at Lilly. "Don't worry, he won't bite either." He said with a wink and a chuckle.

April chuckled and looked at all of the people come to meet the little girl. Lilly looked up at Amir shyly and muttered softly. "Lilly."

Crouching so that he was rested on one knee and more level with Lilly, Amir smiled. "It's good to meet you, Lilly!" he exclaimed, before giving Jax a small scratch on the head. "It looks like Jax likes you." Leaving the girl to play with the dog -- judging from her state it appeared to be the first time in a long time where she could have fun in relative safety -- Amir stood and made his way over to April, clearing his throat and lowering his voice. "I noticed the scratches, and it looks like her ankle might be hurt.. Did you notice anything else? Where was she found?" Growing up in Lasthope, he was trained to expect the worst.

A groan escaped Hector as he and his team trudged back into camp. The look of exhaustion was clear on all of their faces along with the dirt and blood that covered their bodies. Dealing with the walkers that were attracted by the gun shot was a pain, but everyone came back in one piece. Hector's team went their separate ways to go and rest while Hector spotted the group. He smiled as he spotted April and a decently happy Lilly in one piece. As he approached the group he heard Amir's questions and sighed as he patted him on the back. "Well, I didn't really pay attention since I was both dodging a bullet and falling into a nest filled with walkers, but to answer your other question I found her in a burnt out house that was attracting a few walkers," he said and rubbed the back of his neck with a grunt. "Also, when you're done with the kid you mind taking a look at my neck? Pretty sure I did something to it when I fell into that damned basement."

Amir nodded his thanks to Hector, taking in the recap of his ordeal surrounding Lilly’s discovery. When Hector finished, Amir gave a grin. “Sure thing, friend — sounds like you were neck deep in trouble back there.”

Chuckling, April shook her head. "Now, that was just bad Amir." April turned to Hector and got up to look at him closer. "You okay babe? You look tired." She stood back so Amir could take a look at his neck.

Hector grinned and shook his head. "I'm fine, just a fun day on the field," he chuckled and winced as a sharp pain filled his neck. "Though, a little rest would be nice," he admitted and smiled towards April with a raised brow. "Maybe a little massage could help too," he chuckled with a wink.

Having turned his attention to Lilly, Amir asked the girl if it would be okay for him to look at her ankle. “It looks like it’s swollen.. Does it hurt anywhere else, Lilly?” he asked, laying his medical bag down on the ground beside him and taking a quick stock of what he might need.

Lilly felt shy with everyone looking at her. She ran over to Hector and wrapped an arm around his leg and hid behind him. She limped slightly when she did and Jax investigated and started licking her dirty scratched up leg. Lilly looked up at Amir and held out her arm and pointed to a few scratches on her arm. "It was bleeding from when I fell in the street." She said quietly. April watched and smiled softly at the child.

He stopped walking up towards them when the girl stepped back behind the trooper hiding her face and clutching his leg. Seeing this Trevor knelt down and took off his hat, he figured he was a bit intimidating, “Hi there what’s your name?” his voice changed as he tried to speak as gently as he could. The child seemed to only shrink further behind the other man, “How about I start then. My name is Trevor, I’m a knight in shining armor. I’ve just lost some of my shine over the years.” He smiled at her the girl spoke up from behind the other man, “L- Lilly” He slowly sat his hat down next to him still smiling, “what a wonderful name you have Lilly. I had a cousin who was named Lilly, she was strong, and fast, and brave, just like you.” Still, he smiled but didn’t look away.

Amir took out a couple patches of gauze and wetted them with a bit of Chlorhexidine. “Okay Lilly. I’m going to help you feel better, but it’s going to hurt at first. Is that okay? I promise, it’ll feel better in no time.” He gave a reassuring smile, and made a motion across his chest. “Cross my heart.”

Lilly reached up and grabbed Hector's hand then nodded. "mmkay."

The doctor set a roll of bandages to one side, before taking Lilly’s arm and swabbing the scratches with the sterilized gauze. The alcohol cleaned away much of the dirt, and turned the cuts bright red. Moving swiftly, he cut off two strips of bandage and applied them to the cuts. “That wasn’t so bad, right?” Amir said, keeping up his smile. He tried to distract Lilly as best he could, as he performed the same procedure on her ankle.

Hector chuckled and patted Lilly on the head. "Tough kid, you will make a good trooper," he joked and looked to April. "I'm gonna look for Jain and give my report, I will be back later," he said and planted a quick kiss on her cheek before leaving the group. He let out a groan and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I have something for you Lilly” he brought his other hand he’s kept hidden out toward her holding a small yellow lion beanie baby. “His name is Tomas, and he is just as strong as you are. When I have bad dreams or get scarred Tomas always scares the bad guys away. So he is yours if you keep him close and take care of him.” the small child slowly reached out for the toy quickly retreating to safety after grabbing it.

“Now I need you to promise me something, all of these guys here are good guys. Stick close to them, and they will keep you safe. The other thing is I need you to be brave, cus all them are scared but if they see you being brave they will be brave too.” The quiet nod was all he got before picking up his hat and standing. “Now I have to go fight some bad guys and make sure everyone stays safe, so be good.” He turned after that and quickly made his way back to Hank and the others.

As he left the campground he headed towards the last place she would be. After a bit of walking he noticed a few tracks and saw that they belonged to Jains mule. He shook his head as he followed the tracks. "Really wish she would let us eat that thing," he muttered. Soon enough he spotted the ass walking in front of the mule atop of a hill. He chewed his cheek as he made his way towards Jain. He wasn't the biggest fan of Jain, but she was assigned to be their leader so he had to simply suck it up and follow orders. "Yo, boss!" he shouted to her with a wave.

Jain had been walking the outer perimeter on the lookout for any Risen attracted to the gunshot. It had been a slow stalk and only one customer whom she finally placed an arrow through the eye socket when she heard Hector call out.

She turned and briefly regarded him almost ready to remind him that animal calls were less likely to expose them then remembered he was a Trooper and she his Commander; this wasn't the Scouts.

"Yes?" All she said in reply as she walked towards the big man.

As the two neared each other he scratched his beard and sighed. "Got a report for ya about my teams sweep," he said and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ran into a few walkers, took em out quick without any problems, but we came across a burnt out house that a small group of walkers were hanging out next to. Once we took them out I and a few of my men swept through the house and I came across a lone kid. Her name's Lilly and she was packing a bit of heat, a pistol," he said and pulled out the handgun. "A 22. handgun, she fired her last round at me when I startled her and that's what caused a bit of a commotion with the surrounding undead. I would have investigated the house a bit more, but I fell through the freaking floor and into a nest of extra crispy walkers. Darric arrived just in time and we both cleared em out. We then quickly got the child and headed out . When April took the kid back to camp me and my team began to take on the walkers attracted by the gunshot and we decided we should investigate the house later when we get our shit together," he finished his report and waited for Jain to speak. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed her shifting around as he spoke and mentally sighed. That always got on his nerves.

"You were sweeping a house that displayed abnormal Risen activity, you removed them as a threat and discover a young girl ...How old?" She asked with an odd smile as she thought of how talkative Hector was for such a big man.

"I never asked her age, but she looks around four maybe," he shrugged and scratched his neck. "She was a little banged up when I found her, but the Doc's looking at her now," he said and chuckled as he remembered how happy April and Lilly looked. "I think she and April have already become BFFs," he joked.

Jain can't contain her amusment any longer and lets a good laugh out for about 4 seconds before turning it off and continuing her part of Command.

"A 4 year old, perhaps 5 discharged a round at you with a pistol then after securing her you continued your sweep and were involved in a collapse of a floor, encountered Risen and dispatched them. Scout April is now the caretaker of the Child named Lilly and the doctors are attending her. You have not completed your sweep due to the need to regroup, is that correct?" Jain's eyes sparkle with her thoughts of how Hector has brutally assualted the term Brief in Debriefing.

Hector frowned and crossed his arms as his annoyance was clear on his expression. He didn't care that she found his shit day amusing, but kept silent and sighed. "That's about it, not my best job," he said with a fake chuckle. "Anyway, I will be heading out tonight when my team's ready and we will be finishing our sweep," he said before tilting his head. "Ya good with that, right?"

I am an expert and rarely miss she said as she stepped close to Hector and put her free hand on his shoulder.

"Hector we all have our strong points and yours are obvious, you're a hella Fighter and that no one can doubt but you sure love to take the dog for a walk when you talk. Good thing you're pretty too." She finished and grabbed the pommel of Danny's saddle and swung up.

"Forget the house and block its exits, I don't want to risk you anymore... You got a brother?" She teases before she heads back to the camp.

Hector stared at Jain with a raised eyebrow. "D-did she just... nah, she couldn't have," he shook his head as he soon followed her back to camp. Maybe he just hit his head to hard, no way the boss would be flirting with him, right?

@RumikoOhara@Polaris North@Joker892@ReusableSword@FortunesFaded

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Petra’s crew had been doubled almost with the inclusion of the Teamsters from Fort Stevens who were made up of older people than her own and even herself and one of them the worst choice of all Charles Weston (32) who was riding as the Ramrod of his group and trained in the same class as she had been and briefly a fling when she was 17 and he was 26; she had always been attracted to those older than herself.

She heard that he’d moved on to Fort Stevens to pack and found himself a woman there and got married even had a kid or two. She felt a bit worried he might still hold some anger that she’d broken it off because he’d been at tht baby making age and she had barely even been but Charlie was actually cordial and didn’t even flinch when she declared her orders to take command of the pack train came from the council. She did smooth things a bit by asking he continue his responsibility to the folks from Fort Stevens and consider himself in command of that portion of the train.

His people were as she had first noted older and several of them she couldn’t recall coming from the Nova equestrian school so not officially Teamsters but if Charlie brung them they had to know their stuff. They did make her happy when they followed her orders to see to their pack and hooves without complaint though a couple gave her a look as if they knew about her and their Boss.

But before she could get annoyed Ursula wiggled to descend so she and the cub climbed down and she laughed before saying.

Well now everyone who knows me and those that don’t I am Amelia Wintergarden and do I have some lovely news for everyone who just did all that hard work to get the hell out of here but judging the angle of the sun we’d move maybe 10-12 miles before we’d have to pull those packs down for the night and that isn’t a decent distance to make a day ride there and back and we are by description a long range transport unit and therefore shall consider our departure delayed. she says with a firm voice knowing that the newcomers needed to sense her control and oddly the little Bear watched her intently rather than shy away from her volume.

I want those packs down in good order, animals watered and set to graze; those hobbles better be fixed or you’ll know it. And just when you thought the day was over I want a proper Fire made and whoever is the best cooks to set on the feed and fetch whatever you have to smoke and we have us a get to know tonight.

I’ll see if Summer will entertain us, sure she’s a screw loose but none better at singing.

By tomorrow I expect all this frivolity to be done out and the train up at split of sun she says setting her expectation of when she’ll be ready to head at about 45 minutes after sunrise when half was still below the horizon.

Then finished she walked down to the falls and was happy to see she was Ursula’s focus as the baby followed her almost as if she were following her mom.

Trevor moved quickly through the crowd of teamsters and horses, heading back to Ms. Wintergarden and the short blonde. He was slightly worried that she may have left without him when he scurried off through the crowd. Feeling a bit relived when he spotted the two still next to Hank he called out, "I'm coming! Don't leave with out me!"

Maisy had explained the plan from top to bottom. They were going in blind, searching for whatever might the map lead them to. A trap, a stockpile, or even nothing. The options were numerous, but Jain wanted the second-in-command to lead a group and investigate said marked houses. Thankfully, the rancher had the aid of one of the newer additions to the group, but as quick as she spoke to him he disappeared.

A gaze in the direction of April had made it known that Trevor had wished to see the child first. It had brought a smile to Maisy's face, who was busy assembling the troopers that would accompany them on this treasure hunt. "We have as much information as scholar does when he burns his books. Last chance to back out." Maisy explained, waiting to hear the man's answer.

He could hear her talking as he got closer but couldn't quite make out what until he was almost right next to her, "I hate crowds," was all Trevor could mumble while climbing up on to Hank. "Here you are promising bloodshed and the good possibility of myself or someone else becoming injured or dead and you think I'm gonna back out? Lady, you keep promising these things and I will follow you anywhere." He laughed, perhaps a bit loud but he had to keep up some rumors of him being crazy.

"I like your spirit, woodsman. Most would shy away from the unknown. Not like there ain't nothing wrong with that." Maisy smirked as she replied, shifting her weight over and onto the saddle of her horse. A sharp whistle, and the troopers that were going to accompany them assembled behind her. "Let's get this show on the road." The rancher stated, leading the pack from the Falls to the subdivision.

The first house marked on the map was on a corner, some maybe five houses down from the entrance. It was a large two story home with many possibilties behind closed doors. Assigning some troopers to watch over their mounts, Maisy walked to the front door, and tapped it lightly with the mace she had in her hands. A few seconds passed before a mangly woman met them at the door, clearly infected and trying to gnaw at them through the glass panes. "Seems we've got company after all. Up for taking point?" Maisy asked, ready to kick the door in to see what they were to find.

At least the short ride over was peaceful, he found himself far top interested in the surroundings than he did making small talk with the girl riding alongside him. He found himself waiting just a little while longer while the others dismounted and took up their positions. "You know its been three years and I'm still not entirely used to your safety protocols." He spoke while he got off his mule. "Be good Hank, and don't run off without me." He spoke to the mule while petting its head.

Still, he did what he was told. even if he didn't like or agree with the way they did things it wasn't his show or his place to say or do otherwise. Trevor followed Maisy to the first house, spear in hand, with some troopers behind him. Switching ends of the spear to the metal ball he answered her question with another. "You know how to breach a door, right?" While he got himself in a readied position.

Maisy nodded. "You have to learn all kinds of things in trooper school these days. 'We dare to live' and all that." The rancher explained, turning her attention to the door frame. Maisy moved herself into position, and then slammed her foot close to where the door handle was.

The sudden jolt knocked the walker backwards, and Maisy pushed the door open. Readying the mace, the rancher swung the weapon like a baseball bat, turning the woman's skull into mush as it clunk to the floor. "Baldy over there is yours," Maisy commented, referring to the second Risen that had appeared due to the commotion.

"Sounds like propaganda." Trevor referred to their motto. He wasn't trying to start a fight, but mostly just giving her shit. He would most likely back down if she had a problem with it. However once she put her foot through the door, Trevor was right behind her with his spear in one hand and his small round shield in the other. He didn't look to see if she had been able to deal with the old lady; his target was the other one stumbling toward them. With one quick thrust of the spear the blunt round ball caved the front of its head in, dropping it to the floor.

He was quick to move and bring up his shield to push back another one that tried to blind side him from another room. Trevor quickly pulled back and jammed the edge of his shield into the side of its head. Once his shield was free from its head, he kept it up and at the ready. His spear wasn't an ideal weapon for such close quarters but at least for now it wasn't hampering his progress. "Clear." Something he was used to saying after getting done with any type of combat.

Maisy looked around the room, her eyesight failing to spot any more walking corpses. "Clear. The rancher said, echoing the woodsman's words. With a motion of her hand, a few troopers entered the building and began to search the house for any threats or supplies. "Any idea on what we'll find? Maisy asked, walking through the door to the kitchen. A few pots and pans were on the stove, evident that some sort of meal was attempted before they were infected.

Opening various cabinets, Maisy looked through each one. Most were empty, but the rancher had been lucky with gold. Pulling out an old box of mac and cheese, Maisy pointed it out to Trevor. "We're at least rich with cheesy goodiness." The rancher jested, sliding the package into her pack.

The troopers made their way through the building in an orderly fashion or at least as orderly as one could be. The tall man continued to move through the house clearing rooms with the other troopers on the first floor until he found himself back in the kitchen. "Well those three over there don't look like the original owners by the look of this place. Maybe the red buildings are deemed unsafe or they just put their dead in here." He thought about that for a moment while he watched the short blonde and could hardly help himself from laughing ever so slightly while she reached for the food. "If they did leave their dead here it was a real dick move."

The kitchen was bare for the most part. There wasn't all that much to be picked through However, having a keen pair of eyes was always a good thing. Trevor noticed some scuff marks under the fridge and paused. "So, I'm guessing you haven't tried the fridge yet?"The man didn't wait for an answer and pulled the fridge away from the wall. "Oh, hey, it looks like we got ourselves a secret door. You wanna check it out?" Personally Trevor wasn't all that greedy. He knows what he needs but other than that likes to find things that were hidden away.

Maisy frowned as Trevor broke into laughter. "Hey now, I'm not that short. Summermoon is shorter than me, and besides, I'm five foot five of kick ass!" The rancher replied, more as a jest. Maisy couldn't stay mad, in the end, and laughed along too.

They returned to their searching, but moments later the woodsman had found something clearly hidden. "I haven't, why?" Maisy asked, but instead of a reply, Trevor shoved the fridge out of the way and revealed a hidden hole underneath the fridge. "Might as well check it out while we're here." Maisy shrugged, motioning for a flashlight.

Shining it down into the hole, Maisy noticed the drop was just tall enough for a human to stand on their own two feet. It appeared as if someone had made their own basement underneath the house. Tapping against a nearby pipe, Maisy attempted to signal any threats that would exist, but the underground hideout was silent. "Watch yourself on the way down." Maisy explained, jumping down into the darkness.

"Ballsy girl, real ballsy." Trevor smiled and walked over to a couple of the troopers, "Hey guys, keep a couple people on the stairs and any of you have a head lamp?" Without a word one of the other troopers tossed him one. "Thanks dude, I'll get it back to you." Trevor didn't waste too much time getting back to the hole. He took a moment to check and make sure he wasn't going to fall on the girl as he carefully slipped down into the darkness.

The chain mail jingled when he landed, and Trevor turned on the headlamp and put it on. He slowly scanned the area, seeing card board boxes, wooden crates, large olive green metal and plastic crates, as well what looked like several glass jars and trays on a table like a lab setup. "Hot damn, girl, we might be doing pretty damn good." He could hear the troopers upstairs but the basement looked open with the odd support beam here and there.

"By the look of the dust and cobwebs, I'd say this place hasn't been touched in a long time." Something on the table with the glass caught his eye as he proceeded to investigate. "Might still be traps in here, though."Right after Trevor spoke, a loud snap came from under his foot followed by a deep and annoyed sigh. "Aside from mouse traps that scare the shit out of you." He paused and continued forward towards the table, "Well I think this guy was making drugs, just sayin'." He didn't drop his guard, as there could still be a walker buried around here.

Maisy smirked to herself as Trevor called her 'ballsy.' Nonetheless, his caution held truth, and the rancher was careful not to stumble onto the odd trap. Of course, the ocassional mouse trap crunched under her boot, but Maisy was focused on the gold mine they had just found. Brushing the dust off a crate, Maisy double-checked her vision as she read the words: "Property of the US Army" stamped on each side. It may have been the Army's property before, but now, whatever that was inside now property of Lasthope.